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JesuOtaku wrote:

This may just be because I've digested three long-form series he's written inside of a few months, but I could tell instantly when Urobuchi stopped writing the show, and from that point on, it's been really hard for me to keep interest in it.

I plan to go back and marathon this series at some point after it finishes, so maybe I'll notice it then, but watching it episode-to-episode I did not see the huge shift in writing style that you're describing. A smaller one, maybe, but not as immediate.

I will agree that there has been a definite shift away from the more imperialistic bent that was showing early on. However, I actually don't regard that as a negative, as that was what was primarily giving me the "just another mecha opera under the surface" vibe and hence what I actually saw as the biggest negative. I actually prefer the more convoluted turn it's taken, especially with the latest episode.

Don't you get it? Aldnoah is a deconstruction of spoiler[Yuri Shower Scenes]! Truly, a landmark series in the annuls of anime history.

Okay, maybe not. This episode did manage to sidestep my expectations quite a bit in the plot department, but in terms of character and theme it is still flailing about rather pitifully. Definitely a fun ride, but certainly not as ambitious as it could be.

dtm42 wrote:

Theron wrote:

The problem is that, as the series progresses, flaws emerge in the writing...

Am I the only one who thought that the show was weak right off the bat? Because that first episode wasn't good at all - Inaho and the terrible infodumps being the main culprits - and second episode was so poor I would have dropped the show then and there had Urobuchi's name not been associated with it. The third episode was pretty good however, and I got my hopes up that maybe the show was shrugging off a slow start and was going to get good just like Psycho Pass . . . but no. Beam katana dude just had to turn up and generate thousands of facepalms and the show hasn't looked back since.

For whatever reason every 3 episodes of the show seems to be a good episode (3, 6, 9 were the ones that stood out to me as above average) where a little more is accomplished and made interesting but the other episodes are largely a mixed bag of fridge logic and some often weak and/or wasted characterization.

This show gets some technicals right (in that it's competent at all compared to some other contemporary mecha series which don't even seem to be trying) though it's far from the best I've seen out of the genre even then. I definitely have to agree with the article that the weak characterization (especially for one of the mains Inaho, good grief why did they make him so implausibly stoic to an almost pure archetypical extent. Actually calling him stoic almost feels like it's paying the characterization too much tribute but it's the best I can come up with to describe him) and by association premise kind of limits the shows potential as anything more than just another popcorn entertainment mecha series, albeit it one that clearly had (has?) higher ambitions.

I also must be about the only person that finds the soundtrack kind of week. It's just kind of the same old stuff from Hiroyuki Sawano and Mika Kobayashi again leading to me practically rolling my eyes at some of the musical cues that start up reliably on certain kinds of scenes. The guys too obvious with his music style at this point for me to even really enjoy anymore and I'd be extremely grateful if the industry would give him a break and stop hiring him for every single big budget action/adventure series so that the scores can start feeling a little more fresh again.

I'm apathetic at this point. I enjoy some characters, others I could care less about. The series has a relatively large cast of recurring characters, but many aren't given development. They essentially stand around and say words. The leaps in logic have also been an annoyance, particularly with Inaho. I hope it works out in the end, because I do enjoy some aspects of it.

Rayet spoiler[murdering the princess is a plot twist. I won't say it was handled well, but it's a twist. If she is dead, Slaine probably blame Inaho and co. for exploiting her and war would continue. I wonder if Cruhteo is dead; we never saw his ship, so I'd think they would keep him live just for that. Otherwise, he was useful only to the extent that he could bully Slaine.]

grooven wrote:

RestLessone wrote:

SailorTralfamadore wrote:

He may be the "Urobutcher" but he always explores characters to their full potential before having them kick the bucket, and those deaths always mean something more than just shocking the audience.

Actually, I believe he only wrote the first three episodes.

Even the characters weren't his: http://nekoshiritori.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/interview-with-gen-urobuchi/

Thanks for the link. Can't get any more damning than this:

Quote:

I did not create the characters in Aldnoah. I made the mainframe of the story until the preliminary version. But in fact Inaho’s character is different than what I wrote. I don’t really have a connection with this character, so this is an exception.

It sounds like they attached his name to get viewers, but it was all rather hands-off. Hate when that happens.

spoiler[I've seen enough cliffhangers to know that the princess is not dead. 99.9% sure, to be exact. Also, no Aldnoah probably means no way to fight the invading army.]

Oh sure, that scene made things interesting during the moment, but long-term, it's just cop-out writing to extend the conflict. Unless - and only unless - spoiler[Princess Asseylum is actually dead.] Then the conflict gets bigger, and the writing still has a chance.

Not sure if I'm rooting for it or not after just watching it.

Best episode in a while. Characterization was sorely needed, specially from the Martians who were becoming little more than simplistic cartoon villains. And the lack of Inaho was a blessing. Give me the stereotypical, whiny, emo teenage pilot we've gotten used to over decades over the 'quiet unflappable boy genius' every day of the week

Marzan wrote:

Give me the stereotypical, whiny, emo teenage pilot we've gotten used to over decades over the 'quiet unflappable boy genius' every day of the week

Well, one person's "whiny and emo" is another's "character with emotional depth and sincerity, who reacts to trauma realistically." And yeah, "unflappable badass genius" characters like Inaho are a good case for why I prefer the former.

At least we've got a good secondary hero in Slaine. It could be a lot worse!

This show is easily one of the smartest mecha shows I've watched in a good long while. It takes a really simple and cliche concept "Aristocratic space men vs Plucky Terrans" gives a little spin with "Real Robots vs Super Robots" mecha combat.

And then manages to defy ALL EXPECTATIONS every episode and break all the rules.

Episode 9 spent its entire run time breaking down the psyche of people on all sides of the conflict. PTSD being its running theme. That's a really serious issue being handled deftly in what is ultimately an action show. Much of this cast is damaged goods, and now we're really starting to see how they were broken.

Easily the best show of this season, and one of the smarter shows I've come across in a long time.

Its only real weakness is how boring main character kid (who's name I don't even remember) and his school chums are. Literally everybody else in the show is so much more interesting. Its almost like they're only there so the show can say its about teenagers in mecha to sell the show.

I like Aldnoah, I feel like there are a lot more terrible things out there, it's fine for what it is, I considered from the start that Urobuchi wasn't gonna write the whole thing and to be honest, I don't see a huge change in the writing style, i'm gonna take it for what it is. There are several annoying things about it, though.

I think the low point has been the week of the monster fights ep. 4-6, yeah, it was neat in ep. 3, but that became repetitive. There clearly are characters who have an arc set up. I've always felt there might be some twist to shake Inaho or that his stoicness might be explained. We'll see, I guess. Considering the opening sequence, the princess, too. Slaine, Rayet and Marito are the best characters to me because they clearly have a struggle set up, but the important thing is to do something with it. Basically it's all been set up, all I hope for is pay-off. All the other characters aside from I've mentioned aren't that interesting, and I feel like they emobdy the biggest problem with the characters in the series, the fact that their basic traits are repeated over and over. I think it's the most noticible with Calm and the princess so far. It's just repetitive.

I feel like most of them are gonna die, though. Every episode there's been an hint like that. That they're all "greenhorns in war" and that there might be "more gaps coming" etc.

The series isn't amazing, but I don't hate it at all. Also, love the soundtrack.

This is one of the best mecha shows in the last 2 years its a 10 for me inaho best character this season....

Marzan wrote:

Give me the stereotypical, whiny, emo teenage pilot we've gotten used to over decades over the 'quiet unflappable boy genius' every day of the week

God no, I'd take an emotionless piece of plywood over whiny emo boy any day. Not only is it insanely overdone at this point that it lost all interest, there just not interesting character if you're older than 20. At least Inaho is important to the story as more than a key that power up the super mechs. His action actually influence the story and if he was replace by someone else it would catastrophic for the group of main character. Where if the usual emo teen who are the only one that can pilot the super mech were replaced by someone else it usually would be a good things since they wouldn't run away just before some important battle like they always do.

As for the first 3 episode, 1 was exceptionally weak (wouldn't have bothered continuing if it wasn't for the production value), but 2-3 were pretty damn good. Then 4-6 were decent. 7 was just plain dumb, 8 was continuing on 7 so it was doomed from the start and 9… well were gonna have to wait till next week if they actually have the balls to stick to what they finish the show with but, as it is, there probably not so I'd rank it even dumber than 7 then.

I don’t quite get why Inaho is considered as a drawback of the show, in fact I’d say he is one of the main strengths. The things that fascinate me about him is that he’s first of all very atypical as a protagonist due to his extreme stoic nature and second is that I can’t get a good read on him. You can read the other very typical characters like a simple book (except Saazbaum perhaps), but Inaho remains an (interesting) enigma. I’m not even sure which side he’s really on and what his personal goals are in this war. It feels like he’s holding a lot of cards up in his sleeve, waiting to play them and it makes him the most interesting character this season for me.

This series is the biggest disappointment in the recent anime history. Nothing has ever failed this badly when all of the big-name people in the industry came onto one project.

Apparently jojo hasn't seen M3.

I pretend Slaine is the protagonist, not that dull empty other character. Slaine's journey through this story is much more interesting.

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